Couplings incorporating a sleeve, band, or ring are known in the art. See by way of example and not limitation the following United States patents and published patent application(s), all of which are incorporated herein by reference: US 2013/0328307 A1 by Irwin et al. published Dec. 12, 2013 (see “sleeve 524”); U.S. Pat. No. 7,144,047 B2 by Dole issued Dec. 5, 2006 (see “band 48”); U.S. Pat. No. 6,880,859 B2 by Breay et al. issued Apr. 19, 2005 (see “sleeve 68”); U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,400 A by Riley et al. issued Feb. 23, 1993 (see “sleeve 136”); U.S. Pat. No. 4,900,070 A by Runkles et al. issued Feb. 13, 1990 (see “coupling ring 20”); U.S. Pat. No. 4,346,428 A by Gale issued Aug. 24, 1982 (see “sleeve or band 24”); U.S. Pat. No. 4,008,937 A by Filippi issued Feb. 22, 1977 (see “seal ring-retaining sleeve 34”); U.S. Pat. No. 3,776,579 A by Gale issued Dec. 4, 1973 (see “seal ring-retaining sleeve 34”); U.S. Pat. No. 3,186,739 A by Mahoff issued Jun. 1, 1965 (see “sleeve member 14”). For purposes of this disclosure all such “sleeves,” “bands,” and “rings” used in such a manner in connection with such couplings are referred to herein as sleeves.
In practice, assembly of such sleeves into position on such a coupling can be difficult, because the two pipes, hoses, conduits, tubing, or other members being coupled together need to be abutted proximate one another and aligned axially while the sleeve is carefully slid laterally into place over the joint, while maintaining its own axial alignment with the members being coupled, all while compressing O-rings, packings, or other resilient materials between the sleeve and the members to form a seal. This difficulty in assembly is exacerbated when the entire structure is positioned in tight quarters, such as inside the wing of an airplane, in one non-limiting example.
Typically even more difficult than assembly of such sleeves into position on the coupling is the disassembly of such sleeves from a previously-assembled coupling, for instance for maintenance, inspection, or replacement. Over time, temperature and pressure fluctuations, as well as exposure to the external environment and chemicals within the connected members, tend to cause the sleeve to stick in-place on the coupling. Getting the sleeve “un-stuck” can be quite difficult, especially when the entire structure is positioned in tight quarters and the members that are coupled together cannot be pulled apart from one another in an axial direction, as is the case in many aviation installations, for example. In practice, what often happens is that a screwdriver or other makeshift tool is used to apply lateral force to the sleeve in an attempt to break it loose and slide it laterally, i.e., in the axial direction of the centerline of the sleeve and the coupled members. But such prying, hammering, gouging, and the like is typically not very effective at moving the sleeve, and tends to damage the sleeve, including in ways that might not be apparent. This is problematic because such sleeves are often re-used. A damaged sleeve could compromise the seal of the coupling, which could lead to catastrophic results in applications such as fuel lines in airplanes, in one non-limiting example.
Accordingly, what is needed is a reliable and repeatable way to easily facilitate safe installation and removal of a sleeve into position on a coupling without damaging the sleeve, especially in situations where the entire structure is positioned in tight quarters, and/or the members that are coupled together cannot be pulled apart from one another in an axial direction.